


Conflict Resolution

by Rouser



Series: Satos and Sagas [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Arguing, Conflict Resolution, Dinner, Established Korrasami, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-19
Updated: 2015-01-19
Packaged: 2018-03-08 04:36:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3195554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rouser/pseuds/Rouser
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Korra and Asami argue about about money.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Conflict Resolution

**Author's Note:**

> Tried my best to accurately portray Korra and Asami's argument style accurately; includes mentions of sex

“How is your roast duck?”

Korra looked up from the expensive meal to see her girlfriend examining the bender as she slowly picked apart the meal.

“It’s good.”  Korra took a bite to prove her point.

Asami’s eyebrows furrowed, but accepted Korra’s answer.  “Good...”

Korra continued to drag around an unlucky piece of duck with a lone chopstick.  Until, that is, she remembered social obligation.  “How is your lobster?”

“Good,” Asami answered.

“Good.”

The awkward silence continued on.  Korra yanked on the fabric of her dress.

“Have you thought any about my Satomobile offer?” Asami asked conversationally, no differently than had she asked Korra what day it was, or if there was mail.

“No,” Korra sniped.  “I don’t need you to build me one.  I’m fine with riding Naga.”

“Oh-kay,” Asami agreed, her tone defensive and confused.  “Did I do something wrong?”

Korra found words lodged in her throat.  “No.”

Asami’s eyes narrowed.  “Obviously, I did, or else you wouldn’t be acting so out of sorts.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Okay.”  Asami was clearly unhappy, but she placed a soft hand on Korra’s shoulder.

At the point of exasperation -- the fine line between frustration and guilt -- Korra exhaled angrily.  “I don’t want _this._ " She waved her hand in a sweeping gesture.

“This?” Asami recoiled.

Korra scrambled to correct her meaning.  “No, the money.  The Satomobile, the designer clothes, the fancy dinners every night.  It’s a lot.”

Confusion washed over Asami’s face.  “I don’t understand.”

“I feel like you’re trying to spoil me.”

“That’s a bit unreasonable,” Asami wrinkled her nose. “I'm not trying to 'spoil' you, or anything like that.  I just wanted a nice night with my girlfriend -- some people would actually consider this a nice evening.”

“Yeah, but I’m not ‘some people’.  I don’t want all this.”

“Fine.  You won’t have to worry about it anymore.”

“That’s not what I meant....”

“Next time, just talk to me,” Asami berated.  She dug through her purse, threw a stack of yuans on the table, and walked right out.  " _Before_ we order the food."

Korra sighed and rubbed her eyes.  She fucked up.

The waiter looked at Korra, flicking his head in the direction Asami had stormed off, suggesting she run after her.  Not that Korra needed any prompting.

“Asami?”

Korra approached the topless Satomobile cautiously.  It was dim, but she could hear small sniffles.

“ _What_.”

“I’d like to apologize.”

Asami kept staring straight ahead.  “Get in the car.”

Not eager to worsen the situation, Korra did as told, and Asami silently began the drive home.  It wasn’t until they were out on the streets could Korra tell Asami had been crying.  Her eyes were red and puffy, visible even through the woman’s makeup.  Now dry with hostility, the slight stain of black down her cheek was a sharp reminder.  Her fault.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Asami’s voice was cold.  “We’ve been dating for over a year.”

Korra sighed.  “I know -- I know I should have, but I didn’t --”

“I thought you wanted the dinners?” Hostility seethed from Asami’s voice.  “I thought you didn’t like having all the chefs at the estate?”

“I didn’t -- I meant the grand scale of it.  There’s always someone else there.  It’s never just us two.”  Korra stared at the long road winding ahead.

“And the Satomobile?”  Asami’s anger started to cool into blazing ice.

“I -- I really don’t need a car. I’ll probably just wreck it.”

Frosty silence.

“I know it’s important to you, though,” Korra spoke.  “But riding's good bonding time for Naga and I.”

Nothing.

Eventually, Korra glanced over at the driver’s seat to make sure Asami was okay; her silence had lasted so long.

Feeling a compulsive need to say something, Korra blurted out.  “Your money is great, I just don’t --”

“ _My money_ is something I’ve had to earn.”

The words were slow, crystal clear, and sharp as knives.  

“I had to earn back every cent of it after what my father did.  It’s mine to use however I see fit.”

Oh.

“I didn’t mean to belittle your work,” Korra stated, “I didn't think about that.  It's just sometimes I feel like I'm over my head.  Like I don't deserve you."

Asami remained steely quiet, which Korra took as a sign to continue.

"I feel like I don't do anything for you!" Korra confessed, "I can't buy you nice dinners, and I can't buy you a closet full of dresses."

Asami was clearly still furious -- perhaps hurt too -- but her shoulders relaxed as she let logical thought back in.

"I'm not dating you because I want those things, Korra.  I'm dating you because I love you."

Korra opened her mouth to protest, but was immediately cut off.

"Love isn't a business transaction, Korra.  I'm not giving you things because I expect something in return.  I just want to make sure you're loved and cared for ... I didn't realize you were so opposed to the idea!”

"But I'm the Avatar.  I should be able to take care of you."

"Well maybe _the Avatar_ should remove her head from her ass and realize I am more than capable of taking care of myself."

_Oh_.

Korra felt like she just got a cold air blast to the face -- eyes wide and jaw swinging.  Asami looked over at that precise moment.

"Sorry."  It was Asami's turn to look bashful.

"No -- it's okay.  You're right."

Asami stuck out her bottom lip.  "I'm not trying to be right.”

"But you are.  Like always."

"You are absolutely infuriating sometimes,"  Asami hissed, gripping the wheel until her knuckles were white.  Korra huffed, sending her lone wayward bang off to the side.  It was as if a rift had opened between the two seats, pushing the occupants to lean as far away from each other as possible.

The city sounded quieter than normal.

Korra watched the scenery as they flew past.  Lights grew less and less frequent as the exited the heart of the city.  People walking on sidewalks, heading home or heading out for some fun.

"Is it bad that we're fighting?" Asami's hand cupped the side of her face, her forearm propping her head up so her vision was still relatively centered.

"Couples fight," Korra answered. "My parents do.  Tenzin and Pema do.  Even Aang and Katara did."

"Oh.  Okay."

"I really screwed up, didn't I?"

Asami let the silence answer that one.

"I ruined our night."

A few moments of calming breaths helped Asami feel comfortable enough to speak again.

"Not completely."

“What do you mean?”  A glimmer of hope had returned to Korra’s voice.

“You've listed your concerns.  We’ll figure something out.”  Asami spoke slowly, clinically.  Trying to regain control of her emotions.

"Uh, dinner.  We could start with dinner.” The gears in Korra’s head began to spin. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a nice dinner now and then, but it doesn’t have to be every night,” she said.  “Let me cook for you.”

"Okay.  I'm in," Asami agreed. "Two nights a week, just you and me."

"Sounds good," Korra felt relief begin to wash away the rift.

"And I'll stop having clothes bought for you." Asami returned to her normal driving position.

"Maybe you could come with me?" Korra suggested. "Help me pick out what looks good on me."

"I'd like that," Asami nodded, "One more thing."

"What is it?"

"I understand you don't want a Satomobile and that's fine, just please let me drive you when you go to city hall," Asami requested. “It’s not exactly professional showing up covered in Naga’s hair.”

Korra winced.  “I -- yeah.”  The gates to the estate unfolded, letting them into the heart of the estate.  The car’s pace slowed until they stopped in its designated spot in the garage.

"We're here," Asami announced.  She put the car in park, but left the keys in and her belt buckled.

"Asami ..."

Korra was pleased to find she was willing to let her smush an brief apologetic kiss to her lips.

“Don't try to kiss your way out of this.  I’m still kind of mad,” Asami stated. "I was really looking forward to a nice evening with you."

There was a pause as their residual anger radiated against the other’s, intermixing with the hot night air.

“Car sex?” Korra suggested.

"You're the Avatar," Asami said, "Your conflict resolution shouldn't always be sex."

"It's not always," Korra protested.

Asami raised an eyebrow.

“Just with you.”

Asami sighed, letting her eyes roll as the corners of her mouth curled up.  "Okay, sex."

Asami ripped off her seatbelt and pounced onto Korra's lap before the Avatar could even process that she was practically being shoved back into her seat.  Asami then straddled the bender's waist, infinitely grateful for the slit up the side of her dress that allowed for such a generous range of motion.

Korra's lips crashed into Asami's, and her hands slid up to the engineer's open back, rough hands on soft skin.  Her body was taut; stubborn muscles pushed against Korra's fingers with every movement.

Asami abandoned the other girl's mouth, streaking dark red lipstick down the Avatar's neck.

“Wait!”  Korra pulled back, instantly missing the gentle pressure of Asami sucking on her skin.  “I’m sorry.  I was stupid.  I should’ve just talked to you.”

Asami’s back muscles relaxed under Korra’s hands.  “It’s okay.  I’m sorry too.  I didn’t realize I was making you uncomfortable.”

Any remaining animosity dissipated.

“Okay, continue sex.” Korra leaned back in, looking absolutely compelling with the beginnings of sex hair, and lips contorted into a lopsided grin.

Asami rolled her eyes and started from the top again.


End file.
